


Cookies

by woodelf



Series: The Floofy!verse [13]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:01:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26320816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/woodelf/pseuds/woodelf
Summary: A warm kitchen filled with family on a cold autumn's day. What could be better?
Relationships: Baelfire | Neal Cassidy & Henry Mills, Baelfire | Neal Cassidy & Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Belle & Henry Mills, Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Henry Mills & Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold
Series: The Floofy!verse [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1836043
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	Cookies

“Chocolate chip cookies are easy,” Henry assured Belle. “The recipe is right on the bag.” It was a damp, chill autumn afternoon, and the kitchen at the Gold’s house was warm and cozy. He’d managed to finish raking most of the leaves in the yard just as the rain had started, having found that having grandparents with a yard to take care of provided a nice, regular source of pocket money, once he’d offered better rates than the lawn care company that Rumpelstiltskin had formerly employed. And there was usually a treat waiting for him in the kitchen afterwards, summer’s ice cream and watermelon having given way to home-made donuts and spice cake and fruit cobblers as Belle was seized by the urge to bake. Henry had suggested she try some cookies

“All right,” agreed Belle. “What do we need?”

****************

The first batch of cookies was already cooling on the counter, the smell having drawn Rumpelstiltskin up from his basement workroom to share in the soft, moist cookies filled with warm blobs of gooey, melted chocolate, when the timer for the oven went off just as the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get the cookies,” Belle said. “You guys get the door.”

Rumpelstiltskin stood up, having stayed in the kitchen to snitch bits of batter and indulge Henry’s love for tales of life in the Enchanted Forest. 

“Come on, Henry, let’s see who needs rescuing today.”

Henry grinned as he followed his grandfather to the door. But for once, it wasn’t someone wanting a problem solved on the other side.

“Hi, Papa. Hey, Henry. I came to drive you home so you didn’t get wet walking.” Neal lifted his head and inhaled deeply. “God, that smells good.”

“Come in and have some,” Henry glanced at his watch. “It’s still another half hour till dinner." 

"Well, if you insist…” Neal stepped inside and took off his coat, hanging it on the rack in the vestibule and placing his hat on the hook above it. 

“We do,” Rumpelstiltskin said firmly, placing a hand on Neal’s shoulder and ushering him in the direction of the kitchen. He hadn’t been able to give Bae much in the way of treats when he was a boy, but by god, he could do so now. 

Belle looked up and smiled as they came into the kitchen. “Hello, Neal.” She slid the last of the second batch of cookies onto the cooling rack and propped the baking sheet in the sink. 

“Hi. Anything I can do to help?” He took a cookie and closed his eyes with an expression of bliss. “Mmmm." 

"No, I’m fine. Sit down and have some cookies and cider. Oh, why don’t you get down a cookie tin so you can take some home with you for Emma? Top cabinet, to your left." 

Neal fetched the tin and poured himself a glass of cider before sitting down at the counter, Rumpelstiltskin joining him with a deep sense of contentment, the three people he loved most in this world all gathered together in the bright, cheerful kitchen full of the smell of good things to eat while the dark fell outside and the rain pattered against the windows. “Henry, call your mother and tell her we’re holding you captive for another twenty minutes.”

"Will do.” Henry took out his phone and called, ending the conversation with an “All right, I will.” He hung up and came forward to take another cookie. “Mom says to tell you to not let me spoil my dinner.” He bit into the cookie with a grin. 

Neal snorted. “Does she not know you? You have a stomach like a bottomless pit. Still, don’t have too many now. You can have a couple more for dessert later.” The timer ticked comfortably in the background as the third sheet baked, and Belle sat down to join them.

“You can put the cooled ones into the tin, Henry,” she said. “These really are delicious.” She delicately licked a smear of melted chocolate off her upper lip .“What should our next recipe be to try?”

Henry thought for a moment. “Butterscotch Krispies,” he declared. “I’ll get the recipe for you.” 

“Let me know when this next baking session happens and I’ll come pick you up that day as well,” Neal offered hopefully. 

Henry laughed. “All right.”

“Bring Emma as well,” Belle encouraged. “The more the merrier.”

And for once, Rumpelstiltskin had to agree. He lifted his own glass of cider and held it up. “A toast,” he announced. Three other glasses were lifted, waiting. “To family,” he said softly.

“To family,” they all echoed, and the clink of the glasses rang out in acknowledgement.

Neal caught his father’s eye. “Did you ever think we’d have anything like this, Papa?” he asked softly, looking around at their small, unlikely group, that had somehow found each other after a span of three centuries and three worlds.

Rumpelstiltskin shook his head. “I dared hope that one day you would forgive me, but this?” He reached out and took Belle’s hand in his, and smiled at his son and grandson. “I never even dreamed this. Thank you for letting me into your lives.”

Henry was the first to move. “Always, Grandpa.” He leaned down to hug the older man.

“Same,” said Neal gruffly, coming and putting an arm around both of them. Belle rose and went to Rumpelstiltskin’s side, and was gathered in as well.

“Group hug,” Neal quipped, a little breathlessly.

“I don’t think Dark Ones do group hugs,” Rumpelstiltskin protested, but he wouldn’t have pulled away for the world.

Henry, with one arm slung around his grandpa and the other around his dad, smiled happily. “But families do.”


End file.
